School Official Point of View

Dear Parents and Visitors, StarShine welcomes you. We believe each and every child has the ability to do something unique and wonderful to make the world better. We believe all schools and teachers should bring out the best in every student and to teach them not only academics but how to live and make good choices in body, mind, spirit, health, wealth and happiness. Our teachers exemplify excellence and our school is a way for others to follow. Our focus is 100% on each child. Test scores and grades do not tell much about what a child should know and master. It is not time to reform schools, it is time to revolutionize them, so they work for everyone, including parents. Thank you for caring for your child, they are our future. Sincerely, Trish McCarty

56 reviews of this school

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Starshine Academy2

Posted February 11, 2015
- a parent

Part 2:I understand money might be an issue, but a school that lets go of teachers and increases class size, has something ideologically wrong. It's not something that can't be rectified but it is something that needs to be addressed. I support the philosophy of StarShine- I think it's great. But in order to meet the goals of StarShine, it needs to scale back in the student population so they can properly attend to student needs like ELL's,504's, and IEPS as well as the nature of at-risk and high risk students. I think that this can be done but it will take educators' voices being heard and trusted in order to make this happen. I believe the teachers are StarShine are capable and desiring to help every student....but there are just too many of them and not enough resources. So, StarShine, what will you do? I encourage you to value your staff. They are hardworking and gifted. Listen to them, consider their ideas, and work toward solutions so that moving forward StarShine can become academically rigorous and personally and socially adept.

I have learned that every school has difficulties, yet StarShine Academy has helped many students achieve their goals in gaining an education both inside and outside of the traditional classroom setting. Without StarShine Academy, many many students would not have the opportunity to succeed in life. StarShine Academy has been around for 13 years now, and will continue at least another 13 years.

I used to believe in their mission and that they were doing everything to benefit the kids, but I have to say I am very disappointed in this school. This school is full of lies. One of their best teachers resigned and the fact that they keep deleting her posts makes it all more obvious that what she is saying is all true. If you are looking for a school for your children, I highly advise that you take them somewhere else.

Sadly, this is a site that is about honest reviews, but yet last Saturday and Sunday I read two reviews from a former teacher who was laid off and I see their opinions in all their honesty have been deleted. It doesn't take much research to read reviews from other sites and sources to realize that this school has had repeated problems from the get go. Special education and special needs are not being addressed nor is the fact that the school has a failing grade and has had serious money issues from day one. Charter schools are only an option to public schools and I suggest highly that anyone considering this school ask about turn over rates among teachers, why former teachers went to court to get their pay and why there is not one former employee that has one kind or positive response about this school. The school's founder does not have a degree in Education nor a degree in anything nor does the founder truly understand education. I would strongly suggest public education.

My son had been struggling in school after school and last fall I enrolled him in starshine. He started out doing the same things he had been in trouble for at other schools but then they started having him work on behavior points and its really helped. He isnt fighting and he's proud to show me his points from school. Thank you starshine!!!!

This school is horrible. One of their best teachers resigned last week and so many parents are going to remove their kids when they find out. Any positive reviews about this school on this page are made by the school themselves. Do not send your children here. You will be sorry.

Oh, same old, same old! Teachers laid off mid-year due to lack of money, bills unpaid, vendors unpaid, payments (that were withheld from staff pay) to AZRS unpaid, student's special needs poorly planned for and unmet, a 'personal assistant' paid out of school funds who continues to be paid and occupy space on campus while teachers are told they should just work for free...it goes on and on, every couple to three years or so...this school lost it's charter once, could anyone who allowed that to happen step up, come forward and realistically defend it having been reinstated? Please! Don't be fooled by the marketing schemes and slick publicity stunts. If you live in this District, do your child a favor, Go Now to one of the Creighton schools nearest you, and not to this poorly managed, poor example of a charter school.

By law, every student must get support if they have an IEP- this school does not follow that. There are too many kids in my child's room, which makes it hard on the teacher. I will be withdrawing my student, after his or her teacher was laid off Friday. The teacher's are the hardest workers on campus and do all they can with the circumstances passed down from adminstration.

Never again! As a parent I want the best for my child. My child has an IEP and not once has someone contacted me to discuss his educational needs at this school. You call and leave messages and no one ever calls back. Communication here sucks. Planning on removing my child from Starshine. Parents open your eyes this school is a joke for children with special needs. They paint a good picture of how amazing the school is but it isn't.